Jeffrey Archer: R.I.P.

From The New York Times:

In a life of achievement and disgrace, ambition, self-promotion, misbehavior and scandal were themes that he knew intimately and that propelled his best-selling novels.

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Jeffrey Archer, a best-selling British author, politician, philanthropist, athlete and one-time jailbird, whose résumé seesawed between achievement and disgrace, and who inspired abiding public fascination with headline-grabbing accounts, both fictional and personal, of ambition, self-promotion, misbehavior and scandal, died on Monday at his home in London. He was 86. 

His publisher, HarperCollins, announced his death in a statement. His final novel, “Adam and Eve,” about the intertwined destinies of the highborn and the humble, was scheduled for publication on Tuesday. Mr. Archer’s thrillers and sagas of the rich and powerful sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. In his London apartment overlooking the Thames, the walls were adorned with paintings, including works by Monet and Picasso. 

Read the rest of the obituary here. 

PETER MAY: R.I.P.

This is such very sad news. Peter May, one of my favorite mystery authors and friend, passed away suddenly Saturday. He was truly one of a kind. 

I had the pleasure of hosting Peter at several literary salons when he and his wife Janice were in town.  Peter won our Macavity Awards for The Black House, and, of course, he won many other awards. He also contributed many articles to both the Mystery Readers Journal and Mystery Fanfare. His essay Why France? appeared in the most recent issue of Mystery Readers Journal: Mysteries set in France.

He was an amazing writer, a kind and generous supporter of other writers, and a friend. Multi-talented, we kept in touch, and I know he said his upcoming novel, Island of the Dead, was to be his last, we all hoped it would not be. Alas, it will.

My heart and sincere sympathy go out to Janice, his family, his friends, and the entire mystery community.

From Janice Haley May and Jon Riley, his publisher and friend:

 

I have to convey the most awful news. Peter, my soulmate, my partner, my greatest love, has died.

There was no warning, we had just spent a perfect day together. He was taken by a heart attack after giving Daftie his evening walk. Paramedics and doctors arrived quickly and fought for an hour to revive him but to no avail.

I have no words to express the loss, so I enclose here the statement from his long term publisher and dear friend, Jon Riley, who pays tribute: Riverrun, an imprint of the John Murray Group, has announced the sad news of the death of the Sunday Times bestselling Scottish crime writer Peter May, on Friday night at his holiday home in the south of France.

Peter May was one of the most popular, and loved writers of crime fiction of his generation, and his books have sold around 15 million copies around the world. The novel which he had announced would be his last, Island of the Dead, is to be published in January 2027.

May began his career as a journalist in Scotland, winning Young Journalist of the Year aged twenty-one, and published his first novel, The Reporter in 1976, at the age of twenty-six. After it was adapted as a BBC drama series, he quit journalism for television, and in the fifteen years that followed he became a successful scriptwriter and producer on two seminal series, Take the High Road and the Gaelic-language, Isle of Lewis-set Machair. It was while working on location on Machair, that his love for the Hebrides, which informed and influenced so much of his writing was formed.

He returned to fiction with a series of China-set thrillers, which was followed by the French-set Enzo Files, both of which featured characters who reflected his growing interest in forensic science. However, it was the publication of the Lewis-set thriller The Blackhouse in 2011, that brought international fame, and bestselling success, and resulted in The Lewis Trilogy. He published a bestseller almost every year between The Blackhouse and his last book, The Black Loch in 2024. His writing will always be associated with the Isle of Lewis, and the Hebrides.

Peter published twenty-six books with Quercus, and his workwas hugely successful in his adopted homeland of France, where his work garlanded many prestigious literary awards.

Peter was a talented musician, and in 2025 he released a CD,‘Towards the Light’, which reflected in song many of his interests as a novelist.

Although he had announced his retirement, which he was looking forward to sharing with his beloved wife, the writer Janice Hally, May found there was one more novel in him, and he delivered Island of the Dead in July this year. He was preparing for a farewell tour of Scotland and Lewis to coincide with publication in January 2027.

Peter May was not only one of the best writers of crime fiction we had, but he inspired enormous affection in his readers and in those lucky enough to work with him. His kindness, generosity and largeness of spirit, loyalty, engagement with life, and the world, made him a much-loved,as well as much- admired figure. He is irreplaceable.

Kathy Harig: R.I.P.

This has been a difficult week for the mystery community. Now comes the news that bookseller Kathy Harig has passed away. Kathy with her husband Tom owned and ran Mystery Loves Company Bookstore in Oxford, MD  (formerly in Fells Point, MD). For many years she was a bookseller at Malice Domestic which is where I first met her. What a knowledge of the genre..and she loved to share! Kathy was so supportive of new and older mystery writers, holding events, hand-selling books, and so much more. She will be missed.

My condolences and love to go out to Tom, her family, and her many friends.

CATHERINE AIRD: R.I.P.

So sorry to hear about the passing yesterday of Diamond Dagger author Catherine Aird at the age of 94. She was one of my favorite writers in the 'Golden Age' tradition. I've read all of her books and enjoyed them. I was privileged to have her as a bus seat companion on a CWA trip many years ago. Such a delightful journey. I will cherish the memory.

Catherine Aird was the author of more than twenty crime novels and story collections, most of which feature Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan. She held an honorary M. A. from the University of Kent and was made an M.B.E. Her other works include Amendment of Life and Little Knell. She lived in England. Apart from writing the successful Chronicles Of Calleshire she also wrote two collections of short stories as well as writing and editing a series of village histories. Having made a significant contribution to crime writing published in the English Language, Catherine Aird was awarded the 2015 Crime Writers Association Diamond Dagger.

Here's a a link to Martin Edwards' memory of Catherine Aird. 

Here's a link to Catherine Aird's work.

Sadly More Obits

The Gumshoe Site (reviews, notices and other mystery-related news) is in its 14th Year on the Web. Jiro Kimura is the brains behind the outfit. Jiro is a long-time supporter of the Mystery Readers Journal.

Hat Tip to The Gumshoe Site for the following Obits.

Michael Cox: author of M.R. James: An Informal Portrait (Oxford University Press, 1983), co-editor of The Oxford Book of Victorian Detective Stories (1992), The Oxford Book of Spy Stories (1997). Crime Novels set in Victorian England: The Meaning of Night (2006) and The Glass of Time (2008). March 31.

Lawrence Payne: Played Detective Sexton Black on British TV (1967-1971). Three Crime novels featuring Chief Inspector Sam Birkett. Nose on My Face (1961/US Title: The First Body, 1964). British amateur sleuth John Tibbett in Spy for Sale (1969(. Mark Savage, British Private Eye in Take the Money and Run (1982) and co-partners with Sam Birkett in Dead for a Ducat (1985). March 27.

Gordon Philo. Secret Intelligence Service Using the Charles Forsyte name with his wife Vicky Galsworthy. Diplomatic Death (1961) and Double Death (1965) featuring Richard Left. Also authored The Decoding of Edwin Drood (1980) completing Charles Dickens' unfinished novel. March 19.

J.D.F.Jones. Three thrillers under the pseudonym David Jordan Nine Green (1973), Black Account (1975), Double Red (1981). Under his own name. The Buchan Papers (1996). March 16.

James Purdy. Author of Malcom (1959), Cabot Wright Begins (1964), Eustace Chisholm and the Works (1967), and Out With the Stars (1992). March 14.

Diana Raymond. Author of Incident on a Summer's Day (1974), Roundabout (1995), The Seat Family (1997). and completed by Pamela Frankau, Colonel Belssinton (1968). March 11.